Contents

History

Philippine Commonwealth and Independence

Early years and World War II

The forerunners of the Philippine Air Force was the Philippine Militia, otherwise known as Philippine National Guard (PNG). On March 17, 1917 Senate President Manuel L. Quezon enacted a bill (Militia Act 2715) for the creation of the Philippine Militia. It was enacted in anticipation that there would be an outbreak of hostilities between United States and Germany.[2]

By the end of the First World War, the US Army and Navy began selling aircraft and equipment to the Philippine Militia Commission. The Commission then hired the services of the Curtiss School of Aviation to provide flight training to 33 students at a local base in Parañaque.

The early aviation unit was, however, still lacking enough knowledge and equipment to be considered as an air force and was then limited only to air transport duties.[2] On January 2, 1935, Philippine Military Aviation was activated when the 10th Congress passed Commonwealth Act 1494 that provided for the organization of the Philippine Constabulary Air Corps (PCAC). PCAC was renamed as the Philippine Army Air Corps (PAAC) in 1936. It started with only three planes on its inventory. In 1941, PAAC had a total of 54 aircraft including pursuit (fighters) light bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, light transport and trainers.[2] They later engaged the Japanese when they invaded the Philippines in 1941–42, and were reformed in 1945 after the country's liberation.

The main aircraft type in the earlier era of the PAF was the P-51 Mustang, flown from 1947 to 1959. Ground attack missions were flown against various insurgent groups, with aircraft hit by ground fire but none shot down. In the 1950s the Mustang was used by the Blue Diamonds aerobatic display team.[4] These would be replaced by the jet-powered North American F-86 Sabres in the late 1950s, assisted by Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star and Beechcraft T-34 Mentor trainers.

The PAF saw its first international action in the Congo under the UN peacekeeping mission in 1960.

Cold War Era

Marcos rule and People Power Revolution

F-86D of the Philippine Air Force

During the 70s, the PAF was actively providing air support for the AFP campaign against the MNLF forces in Central Mindanao, aside from doing the airlifting duties for troop movements from Manila and Cebu to the warzone. Traditional workhorses like the UH-1H choppers, L-20 “Beaver” aircraft, and C-47 gunships were mainly used in the campaign. In the same decade, the PAF Self-Reliance Development Group, the forerunner of the Air Force Research and Development Center (AFRDC) was created. The Center enabled the PAF to create prototypes of aircraft aside on going into partnership with the private sector for some of its requirements.[5]

In late 1977, the Philippine government purchased 35 secondhand U.S. NavyF-8Hs that were stored at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona. Twenty-five of them were refurbished by Vought and the remaining 10 were used for spare parts. As part of the deal, the U.S. would train Philippine pilots in using the TF-8A. They were mostly used for intercepting Soviet bombers. The F-8s were grounded in 1988 and were finally withdrawn from service in 1991 after they were badly damaged by the Mount Pinatubo eruption, and have since been offered for sale as scrap.[6]

US Military departure from the Philippines

The Cold War Era has reached its endpoint as tensions between the two ideological rivals, the United States and the Soviet Union, have simmered down as a result of the dissolution of the latter and the massive change of political system among its allies.

The fate of the US military bases in the country was greatly affected by these circumstances, aside from the catastrophic eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 which engulfed the installations with ash and lahar flows. The nearby Clark Air Base was eventually abandoned afterwards, while the Philippine Senate voted to reject a new treaty for Subic Naval Complex, its sister American installation in Zambales. This occurrence had effectively ended the century-old US military presence in the country, even as President Corazon Aquino tried to extend the lease agreement by calling a national referendum, leaving a security vacuum in the region and terminated the inflows of economic and military aid into the Philippines.
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Contemporary Era

AFP modernization efforts and Asian Financial Crisis

The importance of territorial defense capability was highlighted in the public eye on 1995 when the AFP published photographs of Chinese structures on Mischief Reef in the Spratlys.

Initial attempts to improve the capabilities of the Armed Forces happened when a law was passed in the same year for the sale of redundant military installations and devote 35 percent of the proceeds for the AFP upgrades. Subsequently, the legislature passed the AFP Modernization Act. The law sought to modernize the AFP over a 15-year period, with minimum appropriation of 10-billion Pesos per year for the first five years, subject to increase in subsequent years of the program. The modernization fund was to be separate and distinct from the rest of the AFP budget.

However, the Asian Financial Crisis struck the region on 1997. This has greatly affected the AFP Modernization Program due to the government's austerity measures meant to turn the economy around after suffering from losses incurred during the financial crisis.[10]

A C-295M assigned to the Tactical Operations Group 5 taxis at Legazpi Airport

Several air assets acquired by the Philippine Air Force thru the original AFP Modernization Program of 1995 were the AW109 armed scout helicopters, and airlift assets like the Airbus C295 and CASA C212 Aviocar.
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A decade of neglect

F-5A, now retired from the Philippine Air Force

Since the retirement of the Northrop F-5s in September 2005 without a planned replacement, the Philippine air force was left without fighter jets.[12] The PAF resorted to the Aermacchi S-211 trainer jets to fill the void left by the F-5's. These S-211's were later upgraded to light attack capability and used for air and sea patrol and also performed counter-insurgency operations from time to time.[13] The only active fixed wing aircraft to fill the roles were the SF-260 trainers with light attack capability, the OV-10 Bronco light attack and reconnaissance aircraft and the AS-211 warriors (upgraded S-211).

South China Sea arbitration case and revised AFP Modernization Program

Flight Plan 2028

In response to regional strategic challenges and perceived internal weaknesses, the PAF has embarked on a transformation process to enhance its capabilities. Flight Plan 2028 is administered by the Air Force Strategy Management Office (AFSMO), and aims to:

Build the PAF capability to detect, identify, intercept and neutralize intrusions in the Philippine Air Defense Identification Zone (PADIZ) and the South China Sea (to the North and West of the archipelago) from Area Readiness 4 to Area Readiness 3 by 2022.

Build the PAF capability to detect, identify, intercept and neutralize intrusions into the entire Philippine territory from Area Readiness 3 to Area Readiness 1 by 2028;

The plan calls for a reorienting of the Philippine Air Force from a primarily internal security role to a territorial defence force. It will require substantial organisational, doctrinal, training, strategic and equipment transformation.

US-Philippine Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement

On April 2014, the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement was signed by the representatives of the Philippine and US Governments, aimed at bolstering the military alliance of both countries. The agreement allows the United States to rotate troops into the Philippines for extended stays and allows the U.S. to build and operate temporary facilities on Philippine military bases for both American and Philippine forces' use.[17][18]

Both parties agreed to determine the military installations across the Philippines as covered by the pact, including the former US Subic Bay Naval Base and Clark Air Base, as well as several locations on Cebu, Luzon, and Palawan.
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Tactical commands

The three Tactical Commands are in the direct control of the PAF Leadership while serving his function in the command chain of the AFP. These units are jointly reactivated and reorganized on July 21, 2017 while effectively replacing the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Air Divisions as part of the PAF Flight Plan 2028.[21]

Air Defense Command

Air Mobility Command

Tactical Operations Command

Support commands

Air Logistics Command

Air Education, Training, and Doctrine Command

Air Force Reserve Command

Air wings

5th Fighter Wing, Basa Air Base - It is responsible for air defense and interdiction. It replaced the Air Defense Wing after the two were reactivated to their original status on 2017.

205th Tactical Helicopter Wing, Benito Ebuen Air Base - It is responsible for conducting tactical helicopter operations in support of the PAF and AFP.[23] The wing currently flies the Bell UH-1H Huey, Dornier-Bell UH-1D Huey, Bell 412EP helicopters.

Flying Units:

206th Tactical Helicopter Hornets Squadron

207th Tactical Helicopter Stingers Squadron

208th Tactical Helicopter Daggers Squadron

210th Tactical Training Squadron

Support Unit:

450th Maintenance and Support Group

220th Airlift Wing, Benito Ebuen Air Base - It provides tactical airlift operations in support of the AFP. It is also currently the unit temporarily responsible for conducting long range maritime patrol and air reconnaissance.[24]

355th Aviation Engineering Wing, Clark Air Base - the unit is tasked to provide general engineering support, including construction, repair, rehabilitation and maintenance of PAF aerodrome facilities and utilities.[26]

580th Aircraft Control and Warning Wing, Wallace Air Station - It is responsible for operating air defense and surveillance radar systems of the PAF. It was reactivated on November 3, 2016 after being downgraded to a Group on April 1, 2005.[27]

710th Special Operations Wing, Colonel Ernesto Rabina Air Base - It is responsible for conducting special operations, counter terrorism, and defense of PAF bases and facilities. The unit is also being groomed to be responsible for ground-based air defense system (GBADS) units which is being inducted into the PAF's future capabilities.

Aerobatic teams

The Philippine Air Force had a number of aerobatic teams in which the PAF Blue Diamonds was the first to be founded, and was among the oldest formal flying aerobatic teams in the world. All of the following units are at the inactive status due to eventual retirement of ageing aircraft, most notably the Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighters.

Bases

The Philippine Air Force has nine major air bases and several radar, communications, and support facilities located throughout the archipelago. Shared facilities with commercial airports currently being used as detachments by the Tactical Operations Command were not included here.

Modernization program

The following equipment listed below are either scheduled for delivery or in the planning stages for the next 'horizons' of the AFP Modernization Program.

Combat aircraft

Multi-role fighters

There were several occasions that the PAF tried to modernize its fighter aircraft force, which was left to decline for several decades.

In 1991 the newly democratic Russian government offered the PAF several of its aircraft including the Mikoyan MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-27 during a demonstration held at Villamor Air Base, but the Russian jets could not satisfy the PAF requirements. In 1992 the PAF received offers for both the IAI Kfir and the F-16 Fighting Falcon.[42]

In December 2011, the DND and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) was tasked to formally request at least a squadron of 12 ex-USAF F-16C/D fighter jets, most probably Block 25 or 30 which would be refurbished to either Block 50 or 52 standards.[46] This was discussed during the US-Philippines "2+2" Meeting on 30 April 2012. The Philippine government would pay for refurbishing, maintenance and pilot training which would run for two years.[47]

However, by 2012 the maintenance costs for the used fighters were found to be too high so attention turned to new jet trainers that could be converted into jet fighters. The requirements were listed as "supersonic ability, multifunction displays and On Board Oxygen Generation System."[48] A DND spokesman has said that aircraft from France, the United Kingdom, Italy, and South Korea were considered.[49]

It was reported that the DND will be acquiring multirole fighters by 2018.[50] In responding to the Philippine desire for multirole fighters, the United States offered variants of the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, and Sweden offered the Saab JAS 39 Gripen.[51][52] After a thorough study and research, the Department of National Defense prefers the Swedish-made Gripen multi-role supersonic jet fighter.[53][54]

Hawker Beechcraft demonstrated their AT-6B Texan II, together with their other aircraft line, in April 2012 with a display at Clark Air Base.[56]

On 20 June 2012, it was reported that the Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano from Brazil is a possible contender for its aircraft for a total of 6 units, which will be acquired for PhP4.968 billion (US$115 million).[57]

In late November 2017, a statement by Embraer noted that the Philippine Air Force had placed an order for 6 Super Tucano aircraft.[58][59][60] These planes are set to replace the OV-10 Broncos of the PAF.

Attack Helicopters

As of 27 April 2018, negotiations are ongoing for the donation of 2 Bell AH-1F Cobra attack helicopters and several dozen M113A2 armored personnel carriers from the Kingdom of Jordan to help the Philippine Government combat ISIS terrorists.[61]

The Philippines formerly plans to acquire 24 light-attack helicopters for its requirement,[citation needed] they will procure these helicopters on Horizon 2 Phase, AFP Modernization which covers to 2018-2022, now it had been changed to purposely built attack helicopters, with the TAI/AgustaWestland T129 ATAK[62] as the main pick by the Defense Department.

Transport aircraft

Combat Utility Helicopters

Following the abrupt cancellation for the order of 16 Bell 412EPi Helicopters from the Canadian Division of Bell Helicopters through a government-to-government contract with the Canadian Commercial Cooperation (CCC),[63] parent company Textron, Inc announced on 27 April 2018 that negotiations were ongoing for the continuation of the sale using their factory in Texas, USA as the manufacturer.[64]

During a hearing by the Senate for the budget of the Department of National Defense for 2019, the Commanding General of the PAF confirmed that there are four shortlisted helicopter models for the Combat Utility Helicopter acquisition project: the Bell 412EPI but specifically sourced from the US instead of Canada, the Sikorsky Black Hawk which is considered an expensive option but can be considered based on the package included in the offer; Leonardo's AW139M helicopter, and Russia's Mil Mi-171.[65] And on December 7, 2018, the Defense Department selected the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk[62] Helicopters. On March 2019, the Philippines’ Department of National Defense (DND) signed a contract worth US$241.4 million with Lockheed Martin’s Polish subsidiary PZL Mielec to deliver 16 units of Sikorsky's S-70i Black Hawk combat utility helicopters for the Philippine Air Force (PAF), and the Notice to Proceed (NTP) was provided by DND to PZL Mielec by 16 April 2019.[39]

Search and Rescue aircraft

Seaplanes

In November 2013, the DND released an invitation to bid for the acquisition of 3 brand new Search and Rescue seaplanes with an Integrated Logistics package (ILS). The DND has allotted 2.67 billion pesos for this project. The pre-bid conference was scheduled at November 15, 2013 while the actual bidding was scheduled at November 29, 2013. The seaplanes being offered should be used by the Armed Forces of the country of origin or by the Armed Forces of at least 2 other countries.[66]

Long-Range Patrol Aircraft

On 1 July 2014, President Benigno Aquino III announced plans to acquire 2 long range patrol aircraft.[67] A budget of P5.976 million has been allotted under the revised Armed Forces modernization program.[68] Companies reported to have bought bid documents include Alenia Aermacchi, Airbus Military and Elta System Ltd.